Horse shoe



Dec. 29, 1964 J. J. CHRISTENSEN 3,163,230

HORSE SHOE Filed Jan. 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Eves E 29 P |2 INVENTOR.

53o JENS JUUL CHRISTENSEN |3 W W M, F|G.4 4

ATTORNEYS 1964 J. J. CHRISTENSEN 3,

HORSE SHOE Filed Jan. 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JEN S JUUL CHRISTENSEN BY WMJTH 770/, fi WW ATTORNEYS United Sttes Patent 3,163,230 nonsn snon Jens .innl Christensen, 350 Grand Blvd, Bedford, Ohio Filed Jan. 25, 1%2, er. No. 168,630 3 Claims. (Cl. 16822) My invention relates to shoes for horses and the like. An object of my invention is to provide an improved shoe applied to the hoof without nails or. similar means which penetrate the wall of the hoof to the outer surface thereof.

Another object is the provision of improved means for mounting a shot plate to the bottom of a horses hoof.

Another object is the provision of means for quickly and readily attaching and detaching a shoe to a horses hoof without nails or other means extending through the hoof wall.

Another object is the provision for adjusting the means for securing a shoe to a horses hoof to conform to the contour of the hoof, but without nailing the shoe to the hoof.

Another object is the provision of a shoe mounted to a horses hoof in a manner to avoid pain to the horse otherwise caused by use of nails, and to avoidcracking and mutilating the wall of the hoof as otherwise occur-- ring through frequent nailing of shoes to a hoof. 7

By horse as used herein is meant animals of the equine and related families, such as horses, ponies, donkeys, mules and the similar animals, having uncloven hoofs of horn. Hoofs of such. animalshavea curved wall of horn which slopes downwardly and outwardly so that the hoof is larger at the bottom than upwardly therefrom. The wall of horn at the bottom portion extends avail, is the sole of softer material containing nerves. It

is the horny wall which substantially supports the foot and under which a correspondingly contoured crescentshaped shoe plate of iron, aluminum or other. appropriate material is positioned.

It has been the usual prior practice to nail the shoe to the hoof by means of nails whichextend upwardly through holes in the plate of the shoe and penetrate the horn of the hoof to the outwardly diverging sloping surface of the hoof Wall where the ends or points of the nails 7 are cut, twisted, clinched and bent over or otherwise upset so as to resist withdrawal of the nail from the hoof and hence to resist the separation of the shoe from the hoof. The holding of the shoe to the hoof under such usual prior practice was entirely dependent upon the holding power of a plurality of nails in the horn of the hoof.

A force tending to pull'the shoe directly away from the hoof was opposed by the friction and resistance offered by the nail in the horn and the clinched or bent-over end of the nail. .Thissometimes was insuflicient topreven't separation of the shoe from the hoof, as for example, in

mud which tends to pull the shoe from the hoof.

The use of nails to secure shoes to hooves has created many other problemslcnown to those familiar with horses and the problem of keeping them-properly shod and at ice tion may be had by referring to the following descrip tion and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a preferred form of my improved horse shoe shown mounted to a horses hoof, depicted in broken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of my improved horse shoe, 'now showing the hoof, looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3. is a view partially in section showing a modified arrangement at the forward end of my improved horse shoe, showing detail of this modified'mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a front view of the modifiedarrangement shown in FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the FIGURE 7'is arear view of my improved horse shoe,

not showing the hoof, and looking in .the direction of the arrows 7-'7 of FIGURE 6; V V V 7 FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view pwtially in section of the portion of my-improved horse shoe at the forward 'portion thereof, showing detail of the mechanism for holding the shoe to the hoof; and

FIGURE 9 is enlarged sectional viewshowing detail 7 adjacent a rearward end portion of the horse shoe, showing detail there of the mechanism for holding the shoe to the hoof The base plate 12 of myimproved shoe, denoted generally by the reference character 11, is crescent-shaped or horse-shoe shaped to conform to the shape of the bottom of the wall of the horses hoof, indicated in broken lines in FIGURE 1 and denoted generally by the refer-.

. ence character 31. Theplate 12 has a toe caulk 13 extending downwardly from the forward portion of the 7 as shown. These points are preferably made 'integral'with the plate l2; and are relatively short. They are long enough to extend onlya very short' distance into the wall of'the hoof from the bottom thereof but are short enough that they do not penetrate throughthe wall of theihoof to the outer sloping surface thereof. The purpose of the 'the same time with keeping the horseshooves soundand healthy. For example, to pound nails upwardly through the shoes into the horn without penetrating" or injuring the inner soft material containing the sensitive nerves is a well-known "ditiicult problem. Also the difiiculty of repeatedly using nails for sequentially securing shoes to the points'is to resist lateral movement of the'plate relative to the bottom of the'hoof, that is; movement of the plate in a' plane parallel to the plane of the bottom of the hoof. The points 15 thus provide frictional resistance to lateral movement of the plate and particularly to forward relative movement of the plate-relative to the hoof where 1 by the hoof could slip rearwardly' from off the plate;

Disposed on opposite sides of the plate 12 adjacent fthe spaced rearward portions thereof and extending up- 'wardly, from the outeredges of the .plate are two flanges 7 surface of the: platelZ are a pluralityof points 15 spaced therearound v I 3 r 14. These flanges 14 extend up a short distance along the outer surface of the hoof near, but somewhat forwardly of, the heel or buttresses of the hoof. These flanges aid in preventingrlateral movement of the plate relative to the bottom of the hoof, particularly in a sideward-direction. The flanges 14 by embracing the sides: of the hoof at the locations illustrated assist in maintaining the position of the hoof over the plate. a

To holdthe plate 12 against withdrawal from the hoof there is provided an elongated holding member 17. This member 17 is spring Wire, rod or the like and resiliently bends from a normal fixed configuration in which set.

The member 17 is formed of wire or the like in a loop of general U-shape and is set or biased in this general U- V shape and spring-tempered in that form; The two opposite row'rectangularslots 16 formed in the plate 12 under the respective flanges 14. By reason of the snug interfit of ends 17a in the respective slots 16, the member 17 is non- V rotatively secured to the plate 12 adjacent the spaced rearhooked catch or engaging portion 20 is carried by the upper end of boltZl in a manner that provides for the elevation of engaging portion 29 relative to the plate 12 to be adjustably varied by turning the nut 23. A bracket member 18 secured to the front end of plate 12 by a screw 1 anchor-s the bolt 22 to the plate 12. The bolt 22 is nonrotatively. secured to the bracket 18 and bolt 21 is nonrotatively secured to engaging portion 20, and the threading of bolts 21 and 22 in nut 23 causes engaging portion 20 to be raised or lowered by turning of nut 23. Thus,

7 the effective length of the connecting member is adjustably.

determined. 7

By reason of the variations in'the size and contour in horses hooves, it is provided that the length of the holding member 17 and the effective length of the connecting member anchoring the bight portion 17b are such that the holding member snugly engages and embraces the slop ward portions of the shoe. The spring'bias of the member} 7 17 is such that in an unrestrained and unflexed condition,

it tends to assume the shape shown in broken lines in FIG-.

URE 1, that is, the member is spring-biased to the simple tU-shape illustrated in broken lines in FIGURE 1.

The bight portion 17b of member 17 is'positioned so as to be over the toe of a hoof '31 disposed on the plate 12.

This b ight portion 17b is substantially equidistant from the end portions 117a. Upon-forcing the bight portion 17b downwardly from the positionshown in "broken lines shown in FIGURE 1 to the vposition shown in full lines.

in FIGURE 1, the holding member 17 isresiliently flexed to arch over and embrace the diverging sloping outer sur-v faceof the "hoof wall. At a location intermediate ofthe t rearward curved portion 17c;and the forward curved poring side wall surfaces of a hoof whereby the pads 24 and 25 are firmly pressed downwardly on the opposing diverging wall surfaces. Within limits this adjustment may be made by sliding the pads along the holding member 17 to where the balance appears best, and alsoby adjusting the effective length of the connecting member to assure that the bight portion 17b is held down snugly over the toe and firmly embraces the hoof wall surface over the fee. In other cases, as for a larger sized hoof, it maybe necessary to use a longer holding'member 17.

A modified and simpleform of connecting member for restraining the bight portion 17b in a downward position is illustratedinFIGURES 3 and 4. Here, the-connecting member denoted by the-reference character 29 is a metal strap having a lower bent end 29b which complementarily enages in a rectangular opening 30 formed in the forward 7 portion of plate 12 as shown. .Theupper end' of member 29is bent over to form the hook portion 29a as shown,

r the end portion 2% being bent in one direction and end tion 17d, on opposite sides of the hoof, the holding mem- 'ber opposes and is restrained tagainstfarther downward movement by the outwardly diverging wall surface, as the wall surface extends downwardly and outwardlytoward the bottom of the hoof wall.

I mount on the holding member pads 24 25 of rubber'of rubber-like materiaLone pad being disposed on each side of the bightportion 17b. The pads embrace and may slide along the holding member 17 so that their respective positions may be adjusted. Each pad ispositioned along the holding member 17 so as to engage the sloping surface of the hoof wall where themember'17 encounters and is opposed by the sloping surface. The holding mem- 7 her 17 flexes in a gradual curve downwardly and forwardly from the location of a'pad 24 M25 engaging 24 or 25 engaging the hoof Wall surface to formi curved rearward portions 170.

The pads 24 and 25 in efiectform 'fulcrumsor bearing points upon which the holding member 17 on opposite sides of the hoof press downwardly on the'diverging sloping wall surfaces of the hoof. The bightportion-17b and 7 end portions17a are resiliently urged-upwardly relative to I by bending theholding member17 sufliciently downwardly V past the entrance or opening of the hook portion to clear I the same and then releasing the holding member 17 wherev portion 2 9a-being bent in antopposite direction; To obtain variationin the spacing of the bight portion 171) above the plate 12, with connecting members such as 29, differ- ,ent lengthconnecting members are utilized. The bight portion 17bis readilyhookedunder the hook portion 29a by under its resilient action, itflexesupwardly to where the bightportions is engaged under thethook portion'29a as shownin FIGURESS and 4. V i

In FIGURE 5, therei's illustrated a modified a range-1* ment for anchoring the rear end portion of the holding member to the plate. In this modified form, the flanges 14 .have substituted therefor the two flanges 28, one on each side of the shoe. ''The flangejZS has an outwardly curled-' over portion 23a and at the'rearward portion of this portioni28a,.there is provided a slot 2812. A holding member27, which is similar to holding member17 except for the rear end portions thereof, hasbenbover end portions 27a. The holding member is tightly embraced in curled-1 over'portions 28a and the bent-over end portions 27a exthe location of pads'24 and 25 by reason of the spring bias of holding member 17 ;when flexed in the position'of full'lines'of FIGURE 1 and as illustrated in FIGURES 2,

6and7, V 7

To restrain and maintain the holding member 17in its resiliently flexed position, there is provided a connecting is comprised of aligned screw bolts 21 and 221 interthreadably. connected by a long threaded nut 23 in' such a'manner that by turning the nut 23 in one direction the effective length of the assembly of nut 23 and bolts 21 and 22 is increased, and inan opposite direction is decreased. A

- member at the forward end portion of the shoe-plate-and' overrthe hoof toe. In the form-of the invention illustrated in'FIGURES 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 and9, this connecting member tend through the slots 28b and overtthe top of the curledover portions28zz, respectively. vIii this mannenrthe ends 'of the holding member 27-are non-rotativelyanchored to the flanges 28 on the plate 12. f

It is thus seen by the useof my invention, a shoe plate 7. 'is-resiliently clamped or held to a hoof by an ingenious t -mechanis m particularly fitted and designe'd to the peculiar ities and features of a horses hoof, and .ma manner to avoidhurting the horse or injuringthe hoof in anymannor. 5 V i The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims, as well as thatof the foregoing descriip tionz'r Although this invention. has been described in'its preferred form with a certain degree'of particularity,"it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form hasbeen made only by way of examplerand that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe for a horses hoof having a curved bottom wall extending from the toe to spaced buttresses and having side walls sloping downwardly and outwardly to said bottom wall, the included angle between said bottom wall and said side walls at the toe and adjacent thereto being less than a right angle, the broadest dimension of the bottom wall being intermediate said toe and buttresses,

said shoe comprising a curved base plate adapted to be positioned under said curved bottom wall to support the hoof, said base plate having a forward portion to be positioned below the toe of the hoof and spaced rearward portions to be positioned below the buttresses, respectively, of the hoof, a resiliently yieldable curved spring-wire loop having rearward end portions, a bight portion bowed out therefrom and curved side portions extending from said bight portion to said end portions, said spring-wire loop being resiliently biased to assume a substantially Umhape and in the general plane of said U upon said rearward end portions of the'loop being positioned at said rearward portions of the base plate, anchoring means anchoring said end portions of the spring-wire loop to said base plate adjacent said rearward portions thereof, respectively, a connecting member secured to said base plate adjacent said forward portion and extending upwardly therefrom, said connecting member having an engaging portion positioned upwardly of and at a distance from said forward portion of the base plate, said engaging portion being adapted to interengage with and to hold said bight portion of the spring-wire loop upon said springwire loop being resiliently flexed downwardly from said plane to engage said engaging portion, each of said curved side portions having a bearing portion intermediate its ends, each said bearing portion being adapted to engage the said sloping side wall of a hoof embraced by said spring-wire loop upon said bight portion and said end portion being flexed downwardly from the general plane of said U to engage said connecting member and anchoring means, respectively, the crown of the sloping side wall engaged by said bearing portion providing a fulcrum for the respective side portion upon which the flexed curved side portion is supported in opposition to said bias,

said resiliently flexed loop holding said base plate to said a bearing point for the curved side portion on the slop ing side wall of the hoof over which the curved side portion is positioned.

3. A shoe as claimed in claim 1 and including means for adjustably changing the effective length of said connecting member for accommodation of variation in the size and shape of the hooves to which the shoe is to be mount 4. A shoe as claimed in claim 1 and in which the anchoring means for said end portions includes a hook portion on the ends of the curved side portions and slots in the base plate accommodating said hook portions to anchor the same to the base plate.

5. A shoe for a horses hoof comprising the combina tion of a base plate adapted to engage and support the base of the hoof, a resiliently yieldable loop member of relatively non-elongatable spring material formed in a U-shape and biased to assume a relatively fiat plane of the said U upon the ends of the loop member being secured to spaced rearward portions of the base plate, anchoring means anchoring the opposite ends of the loop member to the said rearward portions of the base plate, and securing means for securing the bight of the loop member to the forward portion of said base plate to flex the loop over the sloping side wall of the hoof on opposite sides thereof, said loop member being dimensioned toengage the sloping side above the base of the hoof at locations intermediate the bight and the ends of the loop member, the engaged side wall at said locations providing fulcrum support for the loop member, the resiliency of the loop member biased toward said flat plane and the fulcrum support at said locations urging the said base plate at said forward portion and said spaced rearward portions thereof against the base of said hoof.

6. A shoe as claimed in claim 5 and including pads adjustably movable along said loop member to engage said side wall at said locations, respectively, for accommodation to variation in shape of hooves.

7. A shoe as claimed in claim 6 and in which said securing means includes adjustable means for adjustably varying the spacing of the bight of the loop member from the forward portion of the said base plate by said securing means.

8. A shoe as claimed in claim 6 and in which said anchoring means includes slots in the base plate at said rearward portions and engaging portions on the opposite ends of the loop member engaging in said slots.

1 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 178,871 Murraine June 20, 1876 200,180 Darling Feb. 12, 1878 459,394 Covell Sept. 15, 1891 549,536 Roche Nov. 12, 1895 810,849 Egger Jan. 23, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,057 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1896 27,817 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1896 44,296 Switzerland j July 30, 1908' 

5. A SHOE FOR A HORSE''S HOOF COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A BASE PLATE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AND SUPPORT THE BASE OF THE HOOF, A RESILIENTLY YIELDING LOOP MEMBER OF RELATIVELY NON-ELONGATED SPRING MATERIAL FORMED IN A U-SHAPE AND BIASED TO ASSUME A RELATIVELY FLAT PLANE OF THE SAID U UPON THE ENDS OF THE LOOP MEMBER BEING SECURED TO SPACED REARWARD PORTIONS OF THE BASE PLATE, ANCHORING MEANS ANCHORING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE LOOP MEMBER TO THE SAID REARWARD PORTIONS OF THE BASE PLATE, AND SECURING MEANS FOR SECURING THE BIGHT OF THE LOOP MEMBER TO THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID BASE PLATE TO FLEX THE LOOP OVER THE SLOPING SIDE WALL OF THE HOOF ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, SAID LOOP MEMBER BEING DIMENSIONED TO ENGAGE THE SLOPING SIDE ABOVE THE BASE OF THE HOOF AT LOCATIONS INTERMEDIATE THE BIGHT AND THE ENDS OF THE LOOP MEMBER, THE ENGAGED SIDE WALL AT SAID LOCATIONS PROVIDING FULCRUM SUPPORT FOR THE LOOP MEMBER, THE RESILIENCY OF THE LOOP MEMBER BIASED TOWARD SAID FLAT PLANE AND THE FULCRUM SUPPORT AT SAID LOCTIONS URGING THE SAID BASE PLATE AT SAID FORWARD PORTION AND SAID SPACED REARWARD PORTIONS THEREOF AGAINST THE BASE OF SAID HOOF. 